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“Yeah,” I said, not giving much more than that. I wasn’t really paying attention to anything she was saying the entire time she was sitting beside me. Instead, I kept downing glasses of vodka and Sprite, regretting following Lincoln here.
Mia grabbed my arm and I instantly pulled it back. My gaze flashed to hers and her eyes were warm as she studied me. “Look, I can tell when someone isn’t interested, especially when I’m feeling the same exact way,” she said with a laugh. “Clearly, both of our friends had ideas for us that aren’t working out.”
I tilted my head to the side, my eyebrows scrunching. “Wait, really?”
She nodded and pursed her lips. “She thinks I need to get over my ex, but she doesn’t know that I’ve been talking to him again. I’m just trying to play wingman to appease her, but have no intentions of actually hooking up or talking to anyone.”
“Oh, thank God.” I let out a breath of relief. I glanced around the room. “Did you drive here?”
A look of confusion filled Mia’s expression. “Yeah, why?”
“What do you say we get out of here?” I asked her with a smirk and a wink. “Except, we just go our separate ways and let them think whatever they want to think.”
“What happens when she asks me about it tomorrow?”
I shrugged. “Tell her the truth then.”
A smile pulled on her lips. “Perfect.”
I got out of my seat and walked behind Lincoln, grabbing his shoulder. “We’re gonna get out of here.”
Lincoln raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Have fun then.”
“You too, man.”
Mia linked her arm through mine and we headed through the crowd of people inside the club. “You’re a genius, Mac.”
“I know,” I said with a smile as I looked down at her. “Now, let’s get you to your car and we can both be on our way.”
And I can be on my way home to Juliette.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
JULIETTE
Sitting in the bathtub, I slowly lifted my glass of wine to my lips, taking a long sip as I soaked in the bubbles. The water was growing cold so I lifted my foot to turn on the faucet to warm it back up. I listened to the sound of the running water as it began to fill the tub even higher. The bubbles stopped just above my chest. I scooted back farther to lift my head higher as it began to fill close to my chin.
I turned the water off again after it reached a comfortable temperature and threatened to spill out onto the bathroom floor. Tonight was a night off from hockey practice, so all I had was work earlier in the day. It wasn’t enough to keep my mind distracted.
I couldn’t help myself as my thoughts continuously drifted back to Mac and what happened between us last night. Sleeping with him was never part of my plan. Hell, there wasn’t a part of Mac that was in my plan. I didn’t regret it, but I knew I had made a mistake. He was not someone I was ever supposed to get involved with, which was exactly why I had no intentions of doing that.
Sleeping with someone and getting involved with them were two completely different concepts.
We could fuck without getting attached. I didn’t need him to take me to dinner or take me out on dates. Really, I didn’t need anything from him, but that didn’t change the fact that there was a part of me that wanted him. He was fun… and he was good in bed.
It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. If we kept things superficial and didn’t let it go any further than that, we would be golden.
In a way, we were using each other, but if we were in agreement with it, there was nothing wrong. I told him what I wanted from him when I left, and Mac didn’t argue with it. He agreed. He wasn’t looking for a relationship. He wasn’t looking for anything more than someone to occupy his time with and make him come on occasion.
He wanted to be friends with benefits. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be his friend, but life was about compromises. I could be his friend, as long as there was a repeat of last night.
After soaking in the tub a little while longer, I finished my glass of wine and drained the water while I climbed out. Just as I was wrapping my towel around my damp body, my doorbell rang. My gaze met the mirror and I stared back at myself for a moment. Reaching up, I pulled the other towel away from my head and let my hair fall down my back in long natural waves.
It was late at night—far too late for someone to be ringing my doorbell. My footsteps were light as I padded through my condo across the hardwood floors, making a mental note that I needed to get myself a dog. Sometimes being alone made me nervous, especially in instances like this.
I held my phone in my hand, ready to make a call if I needed to as I reached my door. Lifting up onto my toes, I peered through the peephole to see who my uninvited guest was. Relief flooded me and I let out a sigh as I saw him standing on the other side.
Mac Sullivan.
